Businessmen take up campaignto give club back to community

Martin Slack

A CLUB which went bankrupt after being the centre of a South Yorkshire community for decades could be saved for the future after two leading businessmen took up the cause.

Former Barnsley Building Society chairman Alan Sherriff and John Dennis, former chairman of Barnsley FC, want to set up a charity to revive Grimethorpe Miners’ Welfare.

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Paperwork for the enterprise, which would be called Access to Sport and Leisure, has already been drawn up and it is hoped that Barnsley Council will help with finances.

Members of the authority’s ruling cabinet have been asked to supply 15,000 initially to help fund a feasibility study, and consider further support if the plan goes ahead.

Grimethorpe Miners’ Welfare has been in existence for generations and was home to the world-famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band, which appeared in the movie Brassed Off.

In its heyday, it had cricket, football and bowls sections as well as club and institute buildings which contained practice rooms for the band and hosted the area’s boxing club.

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But, according to a report to be considered by the council’s cabinet tomorrow, the welfare had “been in difficulties for some time” leaving the buildings in need of maintenance.

The report says: “The institute – known as the ’Stute – went into administration in March 2009, and there is considerable concern in the local community that facilities provided by the scheme will be lost.

“The charitable trust for the existing scheme has now been wound up and the freehold ownership for the recreation ground and the ’Stute rests with the Coal Industry Welfare Organisation (CISWO).

“Alan Sherriff and John Dennis, who have been active in the local area for some time, have proposed the establishment of a charitable company, which would pursue the refurbishment.”

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Mr Sherriff and Mr Dennis have also approached the trustees of CISWO for financial assistance and they have agreed to provide help, but only if the council matches the donation.

The report says: “The extent and nature of the company’s refurbishment proposals will be determined very much by the demand in the local community. In order to assess this, it is proposed that the company instigate a study which will guide the subsequent refurbishment plans.

“The CISWO trustees have agreed to provide a sum of 15,000 to facilitate the costs associated with this work, provided the council contributes the same sum.”

Council officers have warned that there is no cash in the budget for work such as this, and if the finance is approved, it is expected that it will come from the authority’s reserves.

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They also sound a note of caution over the future of the scheme, saying that the council would ultimately be expected to appoint directors to the charity, which could lead to long-term liabilities for the taxpayer.

The report adds: “It should be noted that the feasibility study has yet to take place and that will determine the extent to which there is a viable operation and to what extent the risks are likely to materialise.

“The council needs to keep its future options open in the light of the outcome of the study and review its ongoing participation following that outcome.”

It is hoped that in the longer term the charitable company will be granted a long lease on the site by CISWO, so it can apply for further cash from funders like the National Lottery.

The scheme will be discussed by members of Barnsley Council’s cabinet at a meeting in the town hall, which will begin at 10am.

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